


Invisible

by Anatui



Series: Inevitable [3]
Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Apologies, Character(s) React, Demisexual Ichijouji Ken, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Friendship, Gen, High School, M/M, Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya Has Low Self-Esteem, POV Outsider, Protective Ichijouji Ken, Relationship Reveal, Teenage Drama, Unrequited Crush, Yagami Hikari | Kari Kamiya Ships It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:29:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anatui/pseuds/Anatui
Summary: Takeru's eyes darted between his brother at the table and Taichi lounging on the couch, and the words just spilled out: "Daisuke-kun and Ichijouji-kun are gay."Yamato cocked an eyebrow.Taichi burst into laughter. "Is that all?"Well.That wasn't the reaction he expected."Are you sure they're gay?" Yamato asked."They're a couple. I think." He hesitated. "They kiss. Vigorously."The last word earned a snort from Taichi, but he stifled the sound when Yamato shot him a glare."That's not really a surprise, though, is it?" Yamato raised an eyebrow, and his blue eyes studied him, awaiting his answer. "Ichijouji isn't the first guy Daisuke has looked at with hearts in his eyes."Taichi snorted again, but this time, he didn't keep his mouth shut. "Definitely not gay, though." He leaned back, eyes staring at a particular water stain on the ceiling. "Trust me, that boy has no problem crushing on a cute girlandher older brother."ORThe Chosen Children adjust to Daisuke and Ken's relationship.
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken & Chosen Children | DigiDestined, Ichijouji Ken/Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya, Ishida Yamato | Matt Ishida & Takaishi Takeru | T.K. Takaishi, Ishida Yamato | Matt Ishida & Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya, Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya & Chosen Children | DigiDestined, Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya & Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya
Series: Inevitable [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575847
Comments: 16
Kudos: 139
Collections: Ana's 2020 Writing Challenge, Daiken Discord Server





	Invisible

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been a long time coming, though I suppose it hasn't taken me any longer than the second fic took me after I wrote the first one. Thanks for being so patient.
> 
> This is the only fic in the series that isn't from Ken or Daisuke's POV, so you actually get to see from the eyes of the other 02 kids and Taichi and experience the nuances of their relationships. There's not much actual romance/relationship stuff in here because of that outside POV, but we'll go back to Daisuke's POV in the next one and Ken's in the final fic.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Takeru**

The three of them sat in the living room, glued to the couch, unable to move, silent as the grave, trying desperately to become invisible, for what were the longest five minutes of Takeru's life.

He wasn't sure when exactly he put it together—it took longer than it should have really—but he knew the moment Miyako did by the gasp that escaped her perfectly circular mouth.

That surprised gasp, quieter but somehow more potent, resurfaced again when Ken pressed Daisuke against the wall and kissed him thoroughly.

And.

Well.

They really were intruding then.

Takeru jumped to his feet and Hikari stood with him, but it took both of them to get Miyako moving. Once she was mobile, they made their way down the hallway, slipped on their shoes, and hurried out of the apartment, desperate not to draw attention to themselves.

Even standing outside, he couldn't speak.

And though Hikari lived close by, she walked with the silent pair toward their apartment building, keeping them company, a wall of comfort and solidarity.

In the end, she was the one to break the silence.

"Well," Hikari said, her voice warm and upbeat despite the uncomfortable quiet around them, "I can't say I'm surprised."

Takeru stumbled and turned his eyes on her. "Wait, what?"

She smiled, but there was a hint of sadness to it—probably for the sake of Miyako between them, staring forward, in shock. "They've always been…in tune with each other," she said carefully. "I wondered, you know, back when we were fighting Archnemon and Mummymon. I wondered if anything would ever happen."

He swallowed and looked away, unable to meet her eyes any longer.

Because he hadn't noticed.

Sure, Daisuke and Ken had always been close. For whatever reason—a reason Takeru had never fully understood…until now—Daisuke had felt a connection to the boy genius, in spite of his crimes, in spite of how Ichijouji Ken felt about himself, and Daisuke had helped turn his life around.

Takeru _knew_ that.

But he had never considered there could ever be more than friendship between them. Never considered that either of them would be interested.

Although, Takeru supposed, he was probably too distracted by Daisuke's constantly inserting himself between him and Hikari. Constantly yelling about _helping Hikari-chan_ , _protecting Hikari-chan_ , _saving Hikari-chan_. But as frustrating as that was—really, he and Hikari were just friends, and Daisuke was completely overreacting—Takeru hadn't even noticed when Daisuke no longer talked about Hikari like that.

Hikari, though, had always been the perceptive one in the group. She was quiet and she listened and she _saw_ people.

She understood Ken in a way that no one else could, not even Daisuke, and she also understood Daisuke. Of the group, she had known him the longest, and she alone had a glimpse into his life before he became one of the Chosen.

A thought struck a chord in his chest, and Takeru paused, letting go of Miyako.

They had all been friends for four years now, but somehow, after having classes together, after saving the world together on multiple occasions, Takeru didn't know Daisuke as well as he thought he did.

Part of that was Daisuke's fault.

For someone that boisterous and over the top, he sure kept his cards close to his chest. He distracted and subverted and misdirected until you didn't know which was up or what in the world you'd been talking about before suddenly, Daisuke had gone off on a tangent and you didn't even realize you'd been had because _really_ , how could someone that dense be so good at playing you for a fool?

But much of the blame laid at his own shoulders.

Because in the four years they'd been friends, even if they had taken a while to get there, Takeru had never taken the time or put in the effort to get to know Daisuke better.

On some level, he still assumed Daisuke was the same hotheaded, idiotic ten-year-old he'd been when they first met. Between Demon and Oikawa and BelialVamdemon and restoring the Digital World, he had never stopped to _look_ at his friend, never stopped to notice that Daisuke had grown up quite a bit that winter. And he'd grown up even more in the four years that followed.

Takeru had missed it.

"Hey…"

He looked up, blinking his eyes to clear his vision.

Hikari and Miyako had stopped a few paces ahead, and Hikari had her eyes on him, worry etched into the brown orbs. "Are you okay?"

Takeru swallowed and nodded. "Uh, yeah." Behind her, the apartment building loomed high in the sky, and he nodded toward the building. "We're here."

She glanced behind her and smiled. "I'm going to walk Miyako-san home," she said, and they turned and continued the short trek toward the building, Takeru not far behind.

**Iori**

It was still the weekend, but Miyako hadn't left Iori's bedroom for nearly two days now. And she was being particularly quiet.

Miyako was never quiet.

As many times as Miyako had come over to help him with his computer or advise him, she had never worked in silence. Normally, she'd flit about the room and focus on her tasks while mumbling to herself, or she'd stop and chat with him, friend to friend, all work set aside.

But she had done none of those things this weekend.

Instead, she'd lain on his floor and stared at his ceiling, her eyes big and wide and open, unable to speak. Just as she was doing now.

And Iori was sick of it.

He sighed and lay himself on the floor beside her. "Miyako-san?"

She didn't respond.

"Miyako-san?" he tried again, a little louder.

Nothing.

He sat up just enough to look at her as he nearly shouted, "Miyako-san!"

She blinked at him owlishly, slowly returning to reality. "Huh? Iori-kun, is everything okay?"

"I really feel like you're the one who should be answering that question, Miyako-san," he said, settling down on the floor again. "You've been here all weekend, but you've barely spoken. I don't mind companionable silence, but normally you're a bit more enthusiastic."

"Do you think Ken-kun could ever like me?"

Iori paused, brow furrowed at the sudden question. Although, it probably wasn't sudden to her. He cleared his throat. "Sure. You're his equal in intelligence. You're honest, true to yourself, a faithful friend. Why wouldn't he?"

She bit her lip—and he immediately wondered if that had been the wrong answer. "But has he ever seemed interested in me?"

"Miyako-san," he said with a sigh, "Ichijouji-san is a first year in high school. I doubt he's interested in dating at all. And I'm surprised you're thinking this hard on it right now—I know you don't want to get distracted by a relationship right before exams, and you'll have to worry about getting into a university next year."

But Miyako shoved her hands under her glasses, palms hard against her eyes, and groaned. "I know. I know that."

"But?"

"I was waiting…" She nudged her large glasses up into her hair and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I've been waiting for the right time and the right opportunity. I mean, there's no way he doesn't realize how I feel about him—and I know it's not like I haven't liked other people too—but my crush on him has never fully gone away. But I know how much he cares about his grades and how tough things have been for him without the Dark Seed turning him into a super-genius, and I never wanted to force him to make a decision _now_."

Iori twisted onto his side to get a good look at his closest and most reliable friend. "Did something happen? When you saw Ichijouji-san on Saturday?"

She kept her eyes shut, her hands still protecting her, but she mumbled the words, "He's with Daisuke."

That didn't make sense.

Or rather, it made too much sense.

"Of course he's with Daisuke-san." He shook his head, unable to comprehend what she meant. "They're best friends. They spend most of their free time together."

Miyako released a shaky sigh. "No," she said, pushing up into a sitting position and looking him in the eye once she'd repositioned her glasses. "I mean, he's _with_ Daisuke. They're in a relationship. They're dating. They're kissing and touching and _dating_ each other."

For a long moment, Iori couldn't think of a single thing to say.

Until:

"Oh."

Then:

"Are you sure?"

Miyako's face crumpled, and he didn't have to ask again.

"I'm sorry, Miyako-san," he said, pressing a gentle hand to her knee. "I'm sure Ichijouji-san didn't mean to hurt you, but if he…if he doesn't return your feelings, you can't expect him to—"

"It's just, I never would've expected _that_." Her brow twisted in a tight furrow. "Not even Daisuke, just a boy at all. The idea that he likes boys never crossed my mind."

To be fair, it hadn't crossed Iori's mind either. But it wasn't like he had spent hours upon hours thinking about Ichijouji Ken and romance like Miyako had.

Or apparently Daisuke.

Iori cleared his throat. "I know it hurts now, but it'll get easier."

She grunted in recognition.

"And think about it like this," he continued. "Sure, Daisuke-san may not always think things through, but it would be impossible to doubt how much he cares about Ichijouji-san. I don't think he could ever hurt him."

Miyako bit her lip like she wanted to say something, but after a moment, all she did was close her eyes and release a quivering breath.

Perhaps that hadn't been the right thing to say, but really, _was_ there a good option in this situation?

**Hikari**

The first time Hikari saw Daisuke and Ken after the fiasco that was the evening of their school festival, the two boys were kicking a soccer ball around one of Odaiba's parks.

She and Tailmon had spotted them on their evening walk, and they stopped to watch as the boys chased each other across the pitch. They wove in and out, diving around each other, stealing the ball, kicking and jumping and dodging, neither really managing to score—until Ken finally got the jump on him. Daisuke stumbled, tripped, and missed the opportunity to prevent Ken's well-aimed kick toward the goal.

Then they both collapsed onto the pitch, sweaty and covered in mud and grass stains, panting and laughing. In the fading light of dusk, they twisted to face each other, still giggling, and closed the distance between them.

Hikari averted her eyes from their uncomfortably open affection.

It was V-mon and Wormmon who spotted them and gave their position away, and at the excited shouting, Daisuke and Ken tore apart, faces flushed from exertion. As the Digimon bounced closer, Hikari was left with no other option than to move down to the pitch and say hello.

"Hi," she said in a quiet voice when she was close enough to talk to them but not close enough it felt like she was imposing—well, no, that wasn't true; it definitely felt like she was imposing.

Daisuke smiled despite his red cheeks. "Ah, hey, Hikari-chan." He scratched the nape of his neck and avoided eye contact, but whatever thoughts crossed his mind only increased his blush.

Oddly, Ken seemed less embarrassed. He gave her a short bow and a polite smile as he said, "Hikari-san, nice to see you."

She rather doubted he thought it was nice to see her, but she wasn't going to bring that up. Not now at least. But they were obviously done with their one-on-one practice, so she asked if they wanted to join her for something to eat at a nearby cafe.

They walked down the street a couple blocks, the Digimon in their arms, and wandered into a cafe not far from Daisuke's and Hikari's apartments, and the group shared a booth, Daisuke and Ken on one side and Hikari on the opposite, their Digimon nestled in where they could.

Now that there were people around—no one had really been near the soccer pitch at the time—they kept their affection toned down, holding hands silently under the table, not drawing attention to themselves.

But Hikari couldn't help smiling at them as they all glanced over the menus.

"You two look good together," she said, casting her eyes down to read the lunch options, ignoring the surprised glances from across the table, and Tailmon crawled into her lap to get a good look too. "Hmm, what do you want to eat?" she murmured to her partner.

After they ordered their food, Ken excused himself to the restroom—he looked uncomfortable wearing his soccer jersey and shorts at a restaurant, still sweaty and disheveled—leaving Hikari alone with Daisuke.

She smiled at him from across the table, then allowed her gaze to glance toward the restrooms. "I don't know why you waited so long to tell us about you and Ken," she said with a sigh. "You're a perfect pair."

Daisuke cocked his head with a frown. "What d'you mean?"

That made her hesitate. "How long have you been together? I assumed…"

He laughed. "We've only been dating for a couple weeks, Hikari-chan. We got together the night of Ken's school festival."

For a long moment, Hikari could stop staring at him. "Really? But you're both so—"

A blush rose on his cheeks even as Daisuke grinned with pride. "I know." His eyes darted toward the restroom, but Ken hadn't emerged yet. "He's… I've been _waiting_ for…"

She laughed. "How long have you known you like Ken-kun?"

"Well," he said, averting his eyes, "I dunno. A while, I guess."

A bright smile spread across her lips. "I'm glad you found what you wanted, Daisuke-kun."

He returned the smile, but there was a hesitation there that rarely bubbled to the surface. "Yeah, I just keep wondering…"

Her smile faded. "What?"

"Do you think he's settling?" He paused, glancing back toward the restrooms to check for his boyfriend, but started up again before she could even consider how to respond. "Ken's just…I know what he says, and he's very firm when he says those things, but I can't help thinking it, you know?"

Hikari stretched across the table to squeeze his wrist, to reassure him. "Daisuke-kun, we've known him for a few years now, and you know him better than anyone. Do you really think Ken-kun would devote himself so wholly to something he didn't want?"

Daisuke frowned. "He would if it made me happy."

"Don't be obtuse," Tailmon said, shaking its head, and Hikari couldn't help but laugh.

She shushed her partner, but she couldn't hide her amusement as she turned back to Daisuke. "Haven't you considered that making you happy makes _him_ happy?"

His lips pursed as the thought bounced around his head, until finally he shook his head. "No, I guess I hadn't thought of that." Then a small smile. "That's definitely something to think about, Hikari-chan."

"Well, I can see how happy you two are, Daisuke-kun," she said, squeezing one last time before pulling back. "I just…"

Ken was on his way back from the restroom, his hair properly in place, his face no longer smudged with dirt and sweat. His movements, his soft smile, the way he slid into the seat next to Daisuke, scooting close enough their sides were practically glued together—he was much more at ease after doing a quick clean-up in the restroom.

"I'm sorry," Hikari tried again, any trace of her previous smile gone, no hesitation even after Ken's return. "I should have done more. I told you I would…but all I really did was sit there, and that wasn't fair."

Daisuke shrugged, seemingly unmoved and unbothered by her words, but beside him, Ken offered her his first real smile since they saw each other at the park.

Their food came a moment later.

This time, when Daisuke and Ken held hands, they did so openly atop the table, Ken's hand covering Daisuke's protectively, their fingers intertwined, and Daisuke smiled at him like he was the whole world.

**Takeru**

Yamato still lived at their dad's apartment, though he was nearly done with his first year in university. Although, to be fair, if Yamato didn't live there, no one else would—not really. Dad was so busy with work most of the time he hardly did anything there but sleep, no matter how much Yamato reminded him he couldn't keep up that work schedule forever.

His brother dropped a steaming teacup on the table in front of him, and Takeru wrapped his hands around it to gather the warmth. Mid-November meant the air was starting to cool, and although you rarely needed more than a light jacket, the heat from the tea was nice on his cold fingers.

"So…?" Yamato raised an eyebrow.

Takeru smiled. "What, I can't just come visit my dearest brother for no other reason than the desire to spend time with you?"

From the couch in the living room, Taichi snorted.

Yamato sent him a glare before turning his full attention back to Takeru. "Of course you can, but you didn't sound right on the phone. What's going on?"

He bit his lip.

It wasn't really his place to tell the world about Daisuke and Ken's relationship.

Or the fact that they were into guys.

But well, Yamato and Taichi weren't exactly _the world_. They were fellow Chosen Children, and above all else, Yamato was his brother.

Surely, that counted for something?

His eyes darted between his brother there at the table with him and Taichi lounging in the living room, and when he opened his mouth, the words just spilled out: "Daisuke-kun and Ichijouji-kun are gay."

Yamato cocked an eyebrow.

Taichi burst into laughter. "Is that all?"

Well.

That wasn't the reaction he expected.

Hell, Taichi was still laughing.

Irritated, Yamato snapped at his best friend: "Can't you shut up for more than two seconds?"

Twisting up his nose and sticking out his tongue was Taichi's simple retaliation, though he did silence his heaving peels of laughter.

"Are you sure they're gay?" Yamato asked when he turned his full attention to Takeru, eyes calmer and clearer than a moment ago.

"They're a couple. I think." He hesitated. "They kiss. Vigorously."

The last word earned a snort from Taichi, but he stifled the sound when Yamato shot him a quick glare.

"That's not really a surprise, though, is it?" Yamato raised an eyebrow, and his blue eyes studied him, awaiting his answer. "Ichijouji isn't the first guy Daisuke has looked at with hearts in his eyes."

Taichi snorted again, but this time, he didn't keep his mouth shut. "Definitely not gay, though." He leaned back, eyes staring at a particular water stain on the ceiling. "Trust me, that boy has no problem crushing on a cute girl _and_ her older brother."

Takeru winced.

Was that the reason Daisuke called him _senpai_? He'd had a crush on Taichi? At the same time he'd had a crush on Hikari?

"But Ichijouji-kun?" he ventured to ask.

Yamato shrugged. "I'd kind of always guessed he wasn't into anybody, but yeah, if anyone stood a chance, it'd be Daisuke." Yamato's eyes scrutinized him, and his mouth contorted into a frown. "But that's not what's actually bugging you, is it?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, it surprised me, but you're right…there's something else?"

His brother took a sip of his tea, waiting for Takeru to gather up the nerve and spit it out. He could be endlessly patient.

Takeru stared down at his teacup, not sure where to start. But there wasn't really a good place—he just had to dive right in. "Do you think maybe…we're a little hard on Daisuke-kun?" He took a shaky breath. "Maybe _I'm_ a little hard on him?"

For a long moment, Yamato stared at him, but Takeru could see the gears turning in his head, and in the living room, Taichi sat up on the couch, straining to see what was going on in the dining area.

"Hmm." Yamato pursed his lips. "I'm probably not the best judge of that, Takeru."

He frowned.

Then, Taichi shifted on the couch and called out, "Maybe I could help?"

Yamato scowled at him. "What the hell can you do?"

Taichi chose to ignore him as he pushed away from the couch and sidled over with ease. "Look," he said, settling against the edge of the table, his ass mere centimeters from Yamato's elbow, "Daisuke can be a lot to handle, but under his optimistic exterior, he's pretty vulnerable. Most people don't realize that."

With a frown, Takeru leaned back in his chair. "Vulnerable _how_?"

"Daisuke and Hikari were in the same class for a couple years before you met him, but I actually met him first because of the soccer club—well, me and Sora. I was captain in sixth grade, and he was starstruck." Taichi snickered before recovering himself—after a well-timed glare from Yamato. "Anyway. The point is, I've known Daisuke for a long time, and well, you guys, V-mon, Ken—you're the first real friends he's ever had."

Unease settled in Takeru's stomach; his throat felt dry. "That never occurred to me." He released a frustrated sigh. "We were teasing him and goofing off, and you know, it's _Daisuke-kun_ and he usually starts our stupid arguments in the first place, or…at least he _used_ to." He pursed his lips—that hadn't happened as much after Ken had joined the team now that he thought about it. "But then Ichijouji-kun just snapped."

Yamato's eyebrows shot up, but he remained silent. Silently curious.

Takeru worried his lip, dragging his teeth over the skin roughly. "He basically yelled at us for always teasing him, for not thinking that it might actually bother him, for…well, everything."

Taichi whistled and murmured, "Damn."

"Didn't know he had it in him," Yamato said, and there was an odd sort of pride in his tone.

But Takeru barreled on. He had to. "I guess it never occurred to me that Daisuke-kun was actually upset about it. He always…takes things in stride." He leaned back in his chair, gathering his thoughts, but they shifted back and forth, struggling to focus on one thing. "When we fought BelialVamdemon, Daisuke-kun was the only one who wasn't affected by the Mind Illusion. He said…he said he had no worries."

Taichi snorted at that. "Yeah right."

"He said the only thing that mattered was defeating BelialVamdemon. Nothing else was important."

On the other side of the table, Yamato rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that sounds remarkably like some other hotheaded moron I know."

" _Hey!_ "

"Look, Takeru…" Yamato laid his hand flat on the table. "Daisuke lives fully in the moment. Right then and there, sure, he only cared about beating the bad guy; he wasn't worried about anything else. But that doesn't mean he's satisfied with his life all the time. He's remarkably skilled at keeping his problems hidden under the radar, invisible."

Taichi snorted. "Yeah, can you imagine having to live with Jun?"

Yamato winced, pulling his hand back.

"You know," Takeru said, leaning toward his brother with a little smirk, "there was a time you defended Jun-san from those sort of comments."

A loud, abrupt laugh belted out of Taichi's mouth. "Yeah, before he knew her."

Pink colored Yamato's cheeks. "I may have been a little out of line when I snapped at Daisuke that day."

Their eyes met, and Takeru stretched a hand across the table to grasp his older brother's fingers and squeeze.

Yamato didn't have to say anything; it was obvious now, even if he hadn't been able to pick up on it at age eleven. Daisuke's harsh words about his sister had sparked something inside his older brother—a disturbing reminder of his self-perceived faults and failings as a sibling—and Yamato had succumbed to those fears instead of seeing Daisuke's words for what they were, an accurate portrayal of his relationship with his sister.

"Yeah, well…" Takeru bit his lip, and Yamato's hand tightened around his. "You're not the only one who's been out of line. Pretty sure I owe him an apology."

**Miyako**

A frown spread across her features when she spotted Ken at a table inside Shinonome Library, and Miyako paused to watch him.

The public library was only a fifteen-minute trip from her apartment, but it seemed awfully out of the way for Ken to use. What did Shinonome have that the Minato City libraries or Tokyo Metro didn't?

Ken easily had a dozen books spread across the table, and he tapped a pencil against a notebook as he read.

She hesitated.

She hadn't seen him since his blowup at Daisuke's apartment, and as much as she dreaded that first interaction, she needed to get it over with.

Besides, she needed to know.

He looked up slowly when she set her books on the table across from him. "Oh, did you manage to find—?" He froze when their eyes met. "Miyako-san…"

She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Can I sit with you, Ken-kun?"

His brow furrowed, but he nodded, gesturing to the chair in front of her. "I'm just going over a few things for one of my class projects," he said, his voice decidedly subdued compared to when she first arrived.

Miyako nodded. "I come here when I need somewhere quiet to study."

He nodded, but his eyes had already returned to his book. "Yes, I imagine it would be difficult to focus with all your siblings at home."

For a long while, they worked in silence. Ken's focus was absolute, though he was also completely in tune with his surroundings and often fidgeted at the sound of heavy footsteps or a chair squeaking. For her part, Miyako was far too focused on Ken to devote much attention to her homework.

Homework, studying, had of course been her goal when she'd arrived at Shinonome Library, but everything had changed the moment she caught sight of Ken. It had been weeks since she'd seen him at Daisuke's apartment, even longer ago since she'd had a proper conversation with him, and though the library was hardly the optimal location, it would have to do. This conversation was necessary.

"Hey, Ken-kun…" she began, her voice quiet and somber. "Can I ask you something?"

His blue-violet eyes darted up to meet hers, even as he hunched over his textbook, and he nodded.

"I know, with you and Daisuke, it's not really…well, it's obviously not going to happen, I've come to terms with that. But if it weren't for Daisuke, would you—I mean, _could_ you…?" She took a breath, hoping he could connect the dots because her words were failing her. "Did I ever have a chance?"

Ken considered her for a long moment, dropping his pencil and straightening to look at her fully. He opened his mouth, but even then, it took him a moment to speak. "I don't know."

Miyako deflated.

He released a sigh. "Miyako-san, I value your company and your friendship, but I have never considered anything more than that. I never considered _anyone_ until Daisuke, and frankly, that took everyone else considering it first." He chewed his bottom lip, then added, "I really can't comment on something that might have been."

She swallowed down the hurt, but she nodded. Logically, she couldn't fault him for that.

She couldn't fault him emotionally either.

But it still hurt.

"Is there…?" Ken paused, and his brow furrowed with effort. "I'm sorry, Miyako-san. I'd never want to upset you or hurt you."

She nodded again, and this time, she smiled. "I know that." She cleared her throat and inclined her head toward the books on the table between them. "Let's get back to it."

Across the table, Ken returned to his reading, but he wasn't nearly as focused as before.

Miyako, though, released a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and when it dissipated, her chest felt decidedly lighter. She could breathe easier and she could focus better on her homework, and her smile came much more easily at that realization.

Well, until focusing was impossible…

" _Ken!_ "

She paused.

Then had to repress laughter as she watched Ken roll his eyes.

"Ken, Ken, Ken…"

But when Daisuke reached the table, breath heavy from running all the way there, Ken turned to him with the softest, most patient smile imaginable. "Daisuke," he said, his voice quiet and calm and affectionate, "we're in a library. You can't yell and run everywhere."

Daisuke chuckled, a flush of embarrassment rising on his cheeks. "Right," he said, making sure to whisper this time—though, really, it sounded no less quiet than his regular voice. "Sorry."

"You didn't find anything to read?"

He laughed, then quickly quietened himself. "Come on!" He grabbed Ken's wrist and tugged toward the direction he came from. "I found something I want to show you." He tugged again, practically ready to drag his best friend—no, his _boyfriend_ —right out of the chair.

Ken flashed Miyako an apologetic smile as he allowed Daisuke to drag him to his feet. "Sorry for the interruption, Miyako-san."

Only then did Daisuke seem to register her existence.

A frown flashed across his face, then he turned to her and grinned. "Oh, hey, Miyako." He chuckled. "We'll be right back. Promise."

As they departed for the shelves, they walked hand in hand, moving together in a striking unison that could only remind her of the first time they'd Jogress-evolved, when they had moved in perfect unison though they barely knew each other.

Daisuke had always said he'd felt Ken's heartbeat in his chest that day.

Miyako bit her lip.

During all the times she and Hikari's Digimon had Jogress-evolved, they'd never had the same experience. Sure, they'd gotten closer, but she had never once noticed the feeling of Hikari's heart.

Really, if she thought about it, that first Jogress experience had probably been the moment of no turning back. That had been when Daisuke and Ken had somehow become so intertwined it would be nearly impossible to tear them apart.

And with the way they smiled and blushed when they looked at each other, with the way they kissed, she could no longer imagine trying.

When the pair finally returned to the table, Miyako was nearly done with her homework, but she wasn't so engrossed not to notice the deep flushes on their cheeks, the slightly swollen lips, or the fresh, pink love bites barely sticking out of Daisuke's collar and the particularly dazed look on his face.

Ken took his seat again with a smug smile and immediately returned to the book he'd left open, and Daisuke collapsed into the chair beside him, scooting close enough his arm was close enough it pressed against Ken's nondominant one.

**Taichi**

When Daisuke opened the apartment door, he sent Taichi a skeptical look. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, Senpai," he said, already pulling on his boots, "but this is rather out of the blue. We haven't kicked a ball around in a while."

Taichi shrugged, his soccer ball tucked under one arm. "All the more reason to do it now, though, right?"

"I guess." Soccer boots securely in place, Daisuke slipped his keys and phone into the side pocket of his duffel bag, then slung the bag over his shoulder. "Let's go."

They headed for the park not far away, and Taichi tossed the ball up in the air and caught it as they walked, then repeated. His movements were robotic, not smooth the way they should've been, the way he'd trained to be, and even Daisuke, as oblivious as he often was, noticed.

"Something bothering you, Senpai?"

He shook his head.

After everything he heard from Takeru and later Hikari, Taichi knew he wanted to talk to Daisuke, but he definitely didn't want to scare him off. Daisuke might get skittish if he wasn't too careful.

He caught the ball a final time, then shrugged. "Nah, I just figured you could use getting away for a little while. Hikari mentioned things have been a little rough lately."

Daisuke snorted. "She did?"

"Yeah." He chuckled. "Something about a get-together at your place a while back and you and Ken. Didn't give me many details, though," he added bitterly.

"Oh." He sighed, irritation heavy in his tone. "I don't know why everyone's making a big deal out of that." But a pink flush rose to his cheeks.

Taichi frowned. "Your friends were treating you like crap, but it's not a big deal?"

Daisuke sent him a scowl. "I thought Hikari-chan didn't tell you many details." A soft groan escaped his lips, and he slung his arms around his neck, threading his fingers together at the nape. "We were just joking around. Ken was the one who…"

"Who _what_?"

But Daisuke couldn't come up with the words to explain.

With a laugh, Taichi said, "Your boyfriend defended you and announced your relationship to all your friends is what happened."

The pink tinge to Daisuke's cheeks turned a bright red. "Oh, uh, she really _did_ tell you everything."

He watched Daisuke with a deep furrow in his brow. "Man, you really don't think you deserve to be happy, do you?" Taichi held the ball close to his chest. The park was within sight now, but he came to a stop and turned to his young protege. "Listen, Daisuke…"

Daisuke came to a stop too, barely able to meet his eyes.

"You remember when I gave you my goggles?"

He nodded, a single solitary bob of the head.

"Sure, you've always been a bit ridiculous and immature, and I know I've never been one to refrain from teasing you myself," Taichi said, shrugging one shoulder, "but I gave you those goggles because I knew what a great leader you'd make."

Daisuke opened his mouth, but he held up a hand to silence him.

"Don't try to fight me on this, Daisuke. I've been there. I know." A soft laugh escaped his mouth, and he closed his eyes, relishing it, remembering. "When we first got sucked into the Digital World…well, I don't know how, but I just fell into the position of leader. But honestly, I was awful at it—I bossed everyone around, I wouldn't listen, I was stubborn and impulsive and reckless—but I learned to do better, to _be_ better."

Taichi ran a hand through his mass of brown hair. "It took weeks, months—I don't really know how long we were stuck there. My courage, my determination, my devotion to the group and the team, were all things I learned over time. But you, Daisuke"—he laid his hand on the younger boy's shoulder—"those were traits you had from the very beginning. That's why I gave you my goggles, okay? You have to understand that."

When Daisuke met his eyes again, the warm brown orbs sparkled with silent emotion, and he gave a minuscule nod.

Taichi squeezed his shoulder, a wan smile on his face. "Ken's with you because he wants to be with _you_ and nobody else, got it?"

The maroon-haired boy bit his lip but murmured, "Got it, Senpai."

He slung his arm around Daisuke's shoulders and steered him toward the soccer pitch. "Come on. Let's have some fun…"

**Takeru**

Takeru took a long sip of his cola soda as Miyako took her turn at the lane, enormous red and yellow bowling ball between her fingers.

Hikari sat to his left and Iori to his right, plus a space on his other side for Miyako. But Daisuke and Ken sat on the opposite side of the benches, talking and laughing quietly, hands clasped, close enough they nearly overlapped.

It had been long enough since that strange evening in Daisuke's apartment that the group tension dissipated.

Miyako moved on—at least enough that she was no longer heartbroken over Ken—and for his part, Ken didn't seem to mind spending time with the rest of the group like Takeru had initially worried he would.

And then there was Daisuke.

Daisuke who, like always, refused to admit anything could keep him down. Daisuke who refused to acknowledge his own worries, even after admitting them all aloud in a room full of his closest friends. Daisuke who never begrudged anyone anything.

When they'd had class again the following Monday, Daisuke hadn't acted like anything was wrong. He'd spoken to Takeru and Hikari like nothing had changed. He'd laughed with them. He'd eaten lunch with them. He'd asked to compare homework before they had to turn in their math worksheets.

And the moment Takeru had tried to bring up that Saturday, Daisuke had quickly changed the subject.

Miyako finished her turn, and Iori stood to go next.

"Hikari-chan," Miyako called as she came back to the booth, "want to grab a drink with me?"

"Yeah." On Takeru's other side, Hikari stood with a smile and grabbed her purse. "Hey, Ken-kun, care to join us?"

It took a moment for Ken to extract his attention from his boyfriend, but he smiled at the inclusion, then quietly asked Daisuke what he wanted to drink. Their resident goggle boy only shrugged and said, "Surprise me," and with a small laugh, Ken followed the girls toward the cafe nearby.

Leaving the two of them alone.

Iori was taking his time, and Takeru was grateful for that.

He'd been wanting to talk to Daisuke for a while—a fact Hikari was definitely aware of—but finding the opportunity had been particularly difficult. Daisuke certainly didn't make it easy on him, even when they _were_ alone.

But they were alone now.

Or as alone as they could be under the circumstances.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Hey, Daisuke-kun?"

Daisuke diverted his attention from Iori's first throw to catch his eyes. "What's up, Takeru?"

"I've just…" He hesitated.

But he couldn't stop now. Who knew when he'd have another opportunity?

Takeru cleared his throat. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now." He wetted his lips, struggling to find the right words, but he had to press on. "Daisuke-kun, I owe you an apology."

Bushy, ruddy-brown eyebrows shot up. "You do?"

He nodded solemnly, but he couldn't hold Daisuke's curious eyes anymore. "What I said to you that night was completely out of line. And it wasn't the first time either." He heaved a sigh. "We've always joked around and teased each other, but I took it too far and I didn't even realize. I'm sorry."

Daisuke laughed.

His eyes jolted up to see the deliberate mirth etched on his friend's face.

"Don't hurt yourself, dude." He snorted in his laughter, and to his credit, it eased the tension between them. "God, you're completely blowing the whole thing out of proportion. But thanks, I guess?"

For a long moment, Takeru allowed the surprise to wash over him.

Really, he shouldn't have been surprised at all. It was just like Daisuke to treat the situation like a joke, to laugh it off, even if his feelings had been hurt. Like Yamato said, Daisuke was particularly skilled at keeping all his worries and problems hidden away, invisible to the naked eye.

But now that Takeru knew what he was looking for, as Iori returned to his seat and the girls and Ken returned with fresh drinks, he could see the moment Daisuke's smile was no longer uncomfortably amused. Instead, the smile he directed toward Takeru as the group gathered together was a gentle kind of gratefulness. Happiness.

Of course, it was nothing compared to the happiness that bloomed across his face when Ken slid into the seat beside him, holding out a cup for Daisuke to take a drink. Their eyes met as Daisuke sucked on the straw, and a pleased blush rose on Ken's pale cheeks.

Takeru scooted back in his seat, satisfied and smiling, and joined the girls' conversation. He'd intruded on enough of their intimate moments.


End file.
